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PACKAGE LABELLING EQU'IPIAM Filed Aug. 16. 1967 I y 13 Smets-Sheet 9 s.A. Anvlb'su STAI.

PACKAGE LABELLING BQUIPIENT 1.3 Sheets-Sheet 10 Fnac Aug. 1967 l. l,1970 A, EI'AL 3,544,412 PACKAGE maar.nic'y nommen@ 1: sheets-sheet 11Filed Aug. 16. 1967 Dec. l, l1970 v 5,. A, 'ARWDSGN VfETI'AL 3544312PACKAGE LABELLING EQuIPuEN'r Enea Aug. 1e, 1957 1 Unted States Patent O3,544,412 PACKAGE LABELLING EQUIPMENT Bengt A. Arvidson, Villa Park, andFritz F. Treiber, Niles, Ill., assignors to Corley-Miller, Inc., acorporation of Ohio Continuation-impart of application Ser. No. 451,742,A pr.

29, 1965, which is a continuation-impart of applications Ser. No.114,779, June 5, 1961, and Ser. No. 200,608, June 1, 1962. Thisapplication Aug. 16, 1967, Ser. No. 660,966

Int. Cl. B32b 31 04 U.S. Cl. 156-360 5 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSUREA package labelling device in which means are provided for delivering aprinted label to a transfer member which applies the label to a package.The transfer member includes a heated platen having an air opening towhich suction is applied to hold the label n the platen and forsubsequently discontinuing the suction to aid in removing the label fromthe platen and applying it to the package. Means are providedselectively positionable in the path of movement of the transfer memberto prevent contact of the platen with the package. In one embodiment, amanually operated stop pin is selectively positionable in the path ofmovement of the transfer member. In another embodiment, a stop arm isnormally positioned in the path of movement of the transfer member and apiston and cylinder device retracts the stop arm whenever a label isproperly located on the platen. The piston is controlled by the meansfor applying suction to the air opening on the platen such that thepiston moves the stop arm out of the path of movement of the transfermember when vacuum is created at the air opening by blockage thereof bya label.

BACKGROUND 'OF THE INVENTION This application is a continuation-in-partof our copending application Ser. No. 451,742, filed Apr. 29, 1965,which now has matured into Pat. No. 3,342,661, dated Sept. 19, 1967, andwhich in turn is a continuation-in-part of our applications Ser. Nos.114,779, filed June 5, 1961, and 200,608, tiled June 1, 1962, both ofwhich now are abandoned.

It has become important in an automatic package labelling system, asdisclosed herein and in said copending application, that the heatedlabel applicator be prevented from contacting the package to be labelledif the package is Wrapped in a film which melts on contact with the hotapplicator. As disclosed in said copending application, a manual stoppin is selectively positionable in the path of movement of a labeltransfer member to prevent contact of the heated platen with a package.This is especially v important in the case where a label should not havebeen delivered to the applicator. This invention is directed toproviding means responsive to the absence of a label on the platen toautomatically prevent contact of the platen with a package.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 3,544,412 Patented Dec. l, 1970 ICC tact ismade with the package and pressure air directs the label onto thepackage. r

Still another object of this invention is to provide means responsive tothe absence of a label on the applicator for preventing contact of theapplicator with a package.

An additional object of this invention is to provide means as defined inthe preceding paragraph which includes a stop arm normally positioned inthe path of movement of the label applicator and a piston and cylinderdevice for moving the stop arm out of the path of the applicatorwhenever a label is located on the applicator.

IMore particularly, the means set forth in the preceding paragraphincludes a stop arm which is normally moved by gravity into the path ofmovement of the heated label applicator. The piston is operativelyconnected to a bellows-type device which applies suction to an openingon the applicator to hold a label thereon. Vacuum at the opening, causedby the presence of a label covering the opening, moves the piston andthe stop arm connected thereto out of the path of movement of theapplicator.

Further objects and advantages will become apparent from the followingdetailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of oneembodiment of the package weighing and labelling apparatus inassociation with a wrapping machine;

fFIG. 2 is a diagrammatic plan View of the structure shown in FIG. l;

FIG. 3 is a plan view of the package labelling apparature with the labelprinting and delivering mechanism removed from the right-hand sidethereof;

FIG. 4 is a vertical section taken generally along the line 4 4 in FIG.3;

FIG. 5 is an end elevational view of the package labeling apparatus withpart of the conveying mechanism in section taken along the line 5 5 inFIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is an end elevational view opposite from that shown in FIG. 5with the label printing and delivery mechanism omitted from the topthereof and taken generally along the line 6-6 in FIG. 4;

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary vertical section taken generally along the line7-7 in FIG. 3;

FIG. 8 is a plan view of the mechanism shown in FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 is a fragmentary plan view of the infeed conveying mechanism; p

FIG. 10 is a vertical section taken generally along the line 10-10 inFIG. 9;

IFIG. 11 is a detailed elevational view of the label transfer apparatus;

FIG. 12 is a view of the transfer member of FIG. 11 shown in position tooverlie a package;

FIG. 13 is a fragmentary side elevational view similar to FIG. 4 butshowing another embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 14 is a plan view of the mechanism shown in FIG. 13;

FIG. 15 is a fragmentary enlarged view of a part of the mechanism shownat the upper left-hand part of FIG. 13;

FIG. 16 is a diagrammatic view of certain operating cams shown in aposition different from that in FIG. 13;

FIG. 17 is still another view of the cams in a position different fromthat shown in FIG. 16;

FlIG. 18 is a perspective view of the label chute, label transfer memberand label guide in associated relation;

FIG. 19 is a schematic perspective view showing another embodiment ofthe invention which includes means for'auto'matically preventing contactof the heated platen DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION As stated inthe above-mentioned application, with the apparatus disclosed herein, itis possible to completely prepare for sale a package of the typecommonly used in supermarkets for meats and the like embodying a boardor tray which is wrapped with transparent material, such as cellophane.Not only is 'the package completely wrapped, but it is also labelledwith a label indicating the item, its weight and the price per pound, aswell as the rtotalprice, taking into account the weight of the item inthe package. The invention herein is directed particularly to means forstopping movement of the label applying member prior to engagementthereof with a package in the event that no label is delivered to saidmember.

In order to carry out the complete package wrapping and labellingoperation, a group of mechanisms is shown in FIGS. l and 2 which apre-wrap table 20 supports a package for initial wrapping with thepackage then being manually passed across a hot plate 21 where thebottom overlap of the wrapping material is sealed together and thepackage with the ends of the wrapping material still to be folded ispassed through a wrapping machine 22. The foregoing structure being ofthe type disclosed in Arvidson United States Letters Patent No.2,981,043. This wrapping machine as described in detail in the Arvidsonpatent functions to progressively wrap the ends of the` wrappingmaterial about the package and to seal the material while maintaining atight wrap as the package is advanced from left to right as viewed inFlIGS. 1 and 2 of the drawings herein. The package is caused to advanceprogressively in steps through the wrapping machine 22 by a conveyingmechanism in the form of overhead push ers, as shown in F-IG. 3 of thepatent referred to supra,

embodying a series of spaced-apart pusher members which have horizontaladvancing movement, as well as vertical up and down movements toward andaway from a package. A pusher member of this type is shown in FIG. l ofthe drawings herein at 23 and is supported on a bar 24 connected tosuitable chain mechanism located within a housing 25 which causesthepusher member 23 to have a cycle of movement as shown in broken lineat 26. The extreme,l right-hand position of the pusher member 23 'isshown in FIG. 1 and is sufficient to carry the package to an operativeposition to be described hereinafter.

A weighing scale 30 is positioned adjacent the exit end of the wrappingmachine 22 and has a scale table 31 located at the level of packagesbeing discharged from the wrappingmachine, whereby a package passingonto the scale table31 is weighed. This movement of the package from thewrapping machine to the scale is along a igenerallystraight line and iscaused by a pusher member 23 next to the one shown in FIG. 1.

Apackalge after leaving the scale table 31 travels to an intermediatelocation resting upon conveying mechanism indicated generally at 32,with the movement of the package to this position being caused by thepusher member 23, which, as shown in broken line in FIG. 1, is.behi nd apackage and carries the package to the intermediate location where thepusher member 23 then begins elevating movement to subsequently returnto a position to descend and engage behind a package next on the scaletable 31. The package next moves from the intermediate location to alabelling station, indicated generally at 33, in which a label havingsuitable indicia thereon is placed upon the package.

'The label is obtained from a printing unit indicated generally at 34mounted on top of a cabinet 35 and which is controlled from a computer,indicated generally at 36, which receives the weight information fromthe scale 30 and causes the printing unit 34 to deliver a label readyfor placement upon the package that has previously been weighed. Apackage weighing and label printing system suitable for use with theapparatus disclosed herein is shown in Allen United States LettersPatent No. 2,948,466 and reference may be made thereto for more specificinformation with regard to the system. For purposes of our invention, itshould be understood that the label, when printed, is delivered onto achute 37 of the printer 34 where it is available for use.

As will be evident from FIGS. 1 and 2, the package has travelled fromthe wrapping apparatus, through the scale, and to the labelling stationalong a generally straight line, with the label printing mechanism 34being at the end of this line.

As shown in FIG. 4, the label printing apparatus 34 is supported on topof the cabinet 35 by being mounted on a plate 38 which is pivotallymounted to the cabinet 35 by a pivot mounting 39. With thisconstruction, it is possible to pivot the printing mechanism 34 about avertical axis to have the label'chute -37 extend out- Wardly from thepackage line in either direction as shown in broken line in FIG. 2,whereby manual labelling is facilitated by an operator being able toreadily pick up a label from the chute 37. The mounting plate 38 isreleasably detented to remain in'any of its positions until forciblymoved.

The apparatus at the labelling station 33 embodies mechanism forreceiving a label from the printing chute 37 and without any turning inthe label cause the label to be placed upon a package in a desiredposition thereon with an immediately subsequent application of resilientpressure against the label on the package to rmly secure the labelthereto.

The apparatus at the labelling station 33 for accomplishing theseresults is shown particularly in IFIGS. 3

to 10 with reference being iirst made to FIG. 3 in which the firstelement is a label transfer member 40 normally positioned beneath theend of the printer chute 37. The transfer member receives a label withthe printed side downk and has a heated platen 41 for heating theheatsensitive material carried on the label for securement thereof to apackage. The transfer member 40 is mounted on a'shaft 42 for oscillatorymovement with the shaft from a position at the end of the chute 37 to aposition overlying a package for subsequent descent into engagementtherewith as shown in FIG. l0.

The transfer member 40 is shown in detail in FIGS. ll and 12 in whichthe platen 41 is recessed at 44 and 45 and surrounded by a frame 46having a pair of end stops 47 and label holding Ilingers 48 and 49located at the sides and aligned with the recesses. The frame 46 ismovably mounted on a pair of pins 50 and 51 and urged downwardly bysprings 52, although the frame 46 s held in a relatively upward positionby engagement with a roller 53 carried on the framework of the machine,whereby a label may enter upon the platen 41 with the ngers 48 and 49elevated along with the stops 47. As the label transfer member 40 isswung about the axis of shaft 42, the frame 46 is moved away from theroller 53 so that the springs 52 can lower the frame 46 relative to theplaten 41 which lowers the stops 47 to a level beneath the platen andcauses the lingers 48 and 49 to come down and rest upon the label,although not lsecurelyl clamping it due to the recesses 44 and 45. Thiscondition is shown in FIG. 12 in which'the transfer member 40 is inposition to place a label on the package. In order to prevent wrinklingof the label, the label is not securely gripped, thus permitting slidingmovement;

of the label out from between the platen 41 and the fingers 48 and 49.

It will be seen that due to the swinging of the transfer member `40about the shaft 42, the labelling station 33, as shown in `FIG. 3, isgenerally located midway between the front and rear of the machine. Withthe package still at this station and upon return movement of thetransfer member 40 to its initial position, a resilient pressure member55 is caused to move to a position overlying the label on the packageand then to descend to firmly press the label onto the package. Theraised and lowered positions of the pressure member 55 are shown in fullline and broken line, respectively, in FIG. lO.

After the applying of the label to the package, the package is caused toleave the apparatus by travelling in a direction transverse to thatpreviously travelled as caused by the conveyor mechanism 32, as morefully described hereinafter.

The power system for operating the various components will now bedescribed. This mechanism is located generally within the cabinet 35 andis powered by a motor 60 driving the input side of an electric clutch 61with the output side of the clutch (when the clutch is energized)driving, through a gear box 62, a sprocket 63 about which a chain 64passes. The chain 64 engages a sprocket l65 on a cam shaft 66 havingcams 67, 68, 69, 70 and 70a thereon as viewed from left to right in FIG.6. The cams y67 and 69 provide for operation of the label transfermember 40 in the following sequence. Rotation of the cam shaft 66 in acounterclockwise direction as viewed in FIG. 4 results in a low in thecam 69 permitting lowering movement of a cam follower arm 69a under theurging of a spring 71 connected to the bottom of the cabinet 35. Thespring pulls down on a link 72 connected to an arm 73 of a bell crank asviewed in FIG. 6 with the other arm 74 of the bell crank having a roller75 captured between the flanges of a spool 76 fastened to a shaft 77, asviewed in FIG. 8, having a rack gear 78 formed integrally therewithwhich meshes with gear teeth 79 at an end of the rotatable shaft 42carrying the transfer member 40.

The shaft 42 is journalled in a pivotally mounted casing 80 'which issecured to the shaft 77 with the shaft 77 being journalled in bearings81 and 82. Thus, lowering movement of the link 72 causes longitudinalshift of the shaft 77 against the action of a spring 77a connectedthereto, upwardly as viewed in FIG. 8, to rotate the shaft 42 and swingthe transfer member 40 approximately 180 to have the gummed side of thelabel facing downwardly toward the package. During this operation, aspreviously described, the label is loosely held in the transfer memberby the fingers 48 and 49. This action has taken place because thetransfer member has left the roller 53.

With the transfer member 40 in the position just referred to and asshown in broken line in FIGS. 7 and 8, the cam 67 on the cam shaft 66becomes operative to cause a low 67a on the cam to permit a cam followerand a cam follower arm 85 to descend under the Weight of the partsassociated with the transfer member 40. A spring 86 connected to the camfollower arm 85 and the bottom of the cabinet 35 assists with the weight0f the parts being partially counterbalanced by a spring 87. Theconnection between the cam follower arm 85 and the frame 80 for thetransfer member is through a link 88 shown in FIGS. 4, 6 and 8. Thedescent of the transfer member 40 is yieldable whereby the transfermember 40 stops upon engagement -with a package which can be of variableheight for placement of a label on the package. Subsequently, thetransfer member is again raised as the cam follower connected to thelink 88 is caused to be elevated by a high on the cam 67 and after theelevation, the transfer member is rotated back 180 to its positionadjacent the label chute 37 as caused by the high on the cam 69.

The transfer member 40 is positioned at an acute angle relative to themounting shaft 42 as shown in FIG. 7. When the transfer member is movedto inverted position as shown in broken line in FIG. 7, the angle issuch as to have only a leading part 40a of the transfer member engagethe package whereby only a portion of the label is pressed against thepackage (FIGS. 10, 13 and 15) with the result that only a limited amountof heat is transmitted from the transfer member to the package. Thelabel is only tacked to the package and the presser member 55 thenpresses the label onto the package. If the transfer member is to avoidcontact with the package entirely, a selectively positionable pin can bepositioned across the path of the mounting shaft 42. This pin 89 isshown in retracted position in FIGS. 3 and 5 in which it is withdrawnfrom the path of the mounting shaft 42. The pin is slidably androtatably mounted in a collar 89a supported by the frame of the machineand has a manipulatable handle y8912 for holding the pin in theretracted position or an advanced position lying across the path of themounting shaft 42. The handle coacts with a notched plate 89C and isshown in one notch with a second notch 89d positioned to hold the handlewhen the pin 89 is shifted to its advanced position. The transfer memberis lowered yieldably at a controlled rate by the cam 67, so that theshaft 42 can come to rest on pin 89 without shock.

The presser member 55 also has two movements with one movement being apivoting action about a vertical axis to assume a position overlying thelabel previously applied to a package as shown in FIG. 9. The otherposition is a withdrawn position in which the presser member is pivotedclockwise a distance as viewed in FIG. 9 to be out of the Way of thetransfer member 40. In addition, the presser member has an alternatedown and up movement to firmly press a label onto a package with thesetwo limits of movement being shown in FIG. l0.

The pivoting action about a vertical axis for the presser member 55 isobtained from the cam 70a on cam shaft 66 which controls the position ofa cam follower arm 90 connected by a link 91 to a bell crank 92 pivotedat 93 to the frame, with the bell crank connected by a link 94 to an arm95 formed integrally with a collar 96 which is slidably keyed to a shaft97. The shaft 97 has the presser member fastened thereto by an arm 98 asseen in FIG. 10. The follower arm 90 is caused to follow its cam bymeans of a spring 99 connected therebetween and the bottom of thecabinet 35. In this operation, a high on the cam 70a causes elevation ofthe link 91 and rotation of the bell crank 92 to providecounterclockwise rotation of the presser arm support shaft 97 as viewedin FIG. 9 to place the presser member 55 over a label on the package.

The presser member 55 is then caused to descent to yieldably engage alabel on the package by the cam 70 1n which a low permits descent of afollower arm 100 whereby shaft 97 lowers as additionally urged by aspring 101 connected between the shaft and the bottom of the cabinet 35.The cam follower arm engages a collar 102 fixed to the shaft 97, asshown in FIG. 4. This descent is yieldable so that regardless of theheight of package, the label is firmly engaged on the package and thissoft pressure is further insured by the presser member 55 havmg asubstantial thickness of relatively soft rubberlike material on theunderside thereof. The presser member, after engaging the label on thepackage, returns to its initial out-of-the-way position by furtheroperation of the cams 70 and 70a through the linkage connected to thepresser member.

The conveying mechanism 32 will now be described in detail. Thisconveying mechanism has two distinct functlons, with the first being tocarry a package from an intermediate location adjacent the scale to thelabelling station 33 and after the application of a label to move thepackage transversely out of the apparatus with this movement being toeither side as shown in full and broken lines in FIG. 2 in which asuitable lug may be located to receive the packages. Power for theconveying mechanism 32 is derived from the motor 60 referred tohereinbefore in which the take-olf is from the chain 64 by means of asprocket 110 fastened to a shaft 111 which, as shown in FIG. 6, extendsacross the machine and has a geai 112 meshing with a gear 113 on a shaft114 which runs to the front end of the cabinet 35 and has a sprocket 115which, through a chain 116 passing about idler 11611, drives a series ofsprockets located one on each of a plurality of shafts 117, 118, 119,120 and 121 extending lengthwise of the machine. The sprocket for oneshaft 117 is indicated at 122 and the others are the same. Each of theshafts is mounted in a framework by bearings as indicated at 123 and 124for the shaft 117 and each of the shafts has a series of conveyingrollers 125 secured thereto whereby rotation of the shafts 117- 121results in rotation of the rollers for causing a package to traveltransversely to the machine at times when a package is resting upon therollers 125.

In addition to the transverse conveying action by the rollers 125, theconveying mechanism 32 alsoinvolves infeed mechanism for the packages-inthe form of a pair of belts 130 and 131 as shown in FIGS. 3, 9 and 10which travel in a direction to have the upper reach thereof travellingtoward a fixed abutment 133 which locates a package at the labellingstation 33. Specifically, each ofthe belts 130 and 131 passes aboutpulleys 135 and 136, respectively, which are mounted on a rotatableshaft 137 extending transversely and disposed adjacent the end of theshafts 117-121. As seen in FIG. 9, each of the shafts 117 and 121carries a gear 138 and 139, respectively. As shown in FIG. 9, the gear138 meshes with a gear 140 on the shaft 137 to cause rotation of thisshaft and Ithe belt pulleys 135 and 136. The alternate gear 139 isprovided for selective engagement with a gear 141 on the shaft 137 afterrelease of gear 138 when the direction of rotation of the shafts 117-121is changed by having the chain 64 pass about the sprocket 110 in themanner shown in broken line in PIG. 4. This change may be made when itis desired to cause packages to travel transversely out of the machinein the direction opposite from that shown set up for in FIG. 9. Whenthis is desired, it is then necessary to shift the engagement of gearswith respect to shaft 137 to make certain that the belts 130 and 131still travel towards the package labelling station 33.

In a cycle of operation, both the belts 130and 131 are continuouslytravelling, as are the rollers 125 continuously rotating. The selectiveoperation of one or the other in movement of a package such as indicatedat 145 is dependent upon whether the belts 130 and 131 are in theirlower position as shown in full line in-FIG. or are elevated as shown inbroken line in FIG. 10. For this purpose, a series of transverselyextending rollers 146-153 are carried in a movable frame defined by sidebars 154 and 155, which mount the ends of these rollers and which aresecured to a transversely extending shaft 156 which is pivotally mountedin the frame of the machine. The rotative position of the shaft 156 iscontrolled by the cam 68 on the cam shaft 66 which engages a followercarried on an arm 157 secured to the shaft 156 by a collar 158.

Thus, as a cycle of operation begins upon rotation of the cam shaft 66,the shaft 156 is rotated to elevate the rollers 146-153 which causeselevation of the belts 130 and 131 to raise a package above thetransversely rotating rollers 125 and advance a package into engagementwith the abutment 133 at the package labelling station 33. The cam v68functions to maintain the belts elevated during the label applying `andpressing operation and this is facilitated by the belts continuing torotate and holding the package against the locating abutment 133. Afterthe labelling operation is completed, the cam 68 permits the belts 130and 131 to lower and the rollers 125 which are rotating all this timethen become operative to advance a package transversely out of themachine since the belt's and 131 have lowered to a level beneath thetops of the rollers 125, as Will be seen in FIG. 10.

The belts 130 and 131 in either of their positions are caused to rotateby the shaft 137 and an idler system involving the pivoted arms 160 andidler rollers 161 carried thereon take up slack in the belts.

Itl will-,thus be seen that structure has been described which advancesa package to a labelling station and, regardless of the dimension of thepackage, a label is placed a certain distance from the edge thereof bythe fixed relation of the label transfer member 40 with respect to thelocating abutment 133 at the labelling station. In order to align thepackage transversely for the desired positioning of the label in thatdirection, a suitable bar as shown in FIG. 2 and indicated at 175overlies the scale table to guide a package for movement onto theintermediate conveyor 32 for travel thereof to the labelling station andthis bar can be adjusted for the desired transverse location of thepackage.

Our invention further includes a suitable control system to make certainthat the labelling apparatus does not cycle when a package is notpresent and functions to take care of various width packages so that allpackages, regardless of their width, will trip the cycle for thelabelling apparatus at exactly the same part of the machine cycle,thereby giving the same length of duration of heat to the label forproperly activating the thermo-adhesive on the label.

This system includes a rst, normally open switch which is operated froma cam 181 carried on a shaft 182 which drives the pusher members 23 andwhich is shaft 65 in the patent previously referred to. The cam 181functions to close switch 180 when the pusher member 23 has reached itsextreme right-hand position, as shown in FIG. l, to indicate that apackage has been carried the full distance by the pusher memberregardless of the width thereof and, in any event, sufficient to engagea plate 183 which, as shown in FIG. l0, is depressible by a package. Asecond, normally open switch 184 is associated with the depressibleplate 183 and is closed when the plate is depressed by a package. Theswitches 180 and 184 are in series and connected by a wire 185 to theelectric clutch 61 with a second wire 186 connecting both of theswitches to one side of the line.

When the switch 180 is closed and also the switch 184, this indicatesthat a package is in position to be conveyed to the labelling stationand that the pusher member 23 has completed its advance of the package.This causes energization of the electric clutch 61 to drive the gear box62 and initiate a cycle of the label applying apparatus. In order tocontinue the cycling of the labelling apparatus through one completecycle, a third switch 1-87 which is normallyl open is caused to beclosed when the cycle starts by a cam 188 on the cam shaft 66 (FIG. 6)which, when the cycle starts, causes a high to elevate a follower andclose the switch 187. The switch 187 is connected by a wire 189 to theclutch 61 and another wire =190 to the main power line. This insuresthat the complete cycle will take place, even though both of switches180 and 184 will open during the labelling cycle.

A fourth switch 191 is connected by wires 192 and 193 into the mainpower line 194 and is normally closed by the plate 40 which mounts thelabel printing apparatus 34 whereby when the printing apparatus is swungto one side or the other of the machine for hand labelling, the switch191 is opened to break the circuit to the electric clutch 61 to makecertain that no cycling of the labelling apparatus takes place duringthe manual operation.

The embodiment of FIGS. 13-17 is generally similar to the embodimentdisclosed in FIGS. 1-12, except for the operation of the label transfermember and the utilization of an air blown down device for the label.Parts corresponding in the two embodiments are given similar 9 referencenumerals with a prime aixed thereto in the embodiment of FIGS. 13-17.

The general organization of structure is similar with a conveyingmechanism indicated generally at 32 conveying a package 4145 to alabelling station indicated generally at 33 where a label supplied froma printing unit indicated generally at 34 is affixed to the package, thelabel being delivered from the printing unit onto a chute 37 with theadhesive side up.

The transfer member 200 having a heated platen 201 for acting on thelabel adhesive is mounted on the shaft 42 for rotatable movementtherewith and up and down movement. This embodiment relates primarily tothe use of suction for holding the label on the transfer member duringtransfer and use of an air discharge or air blast to decisively remotethe label from the platen 2011 and rmly seat the label on a package 145.

As described in connection with the embodiments of FIGS. 1-12, thetransfer member first rotates with the shaft 42 to invert a label toplace the adhesive side down and then the transfer member descends intoyieldable contact with a package. The transfer member then rises andagain rotates back to a position lined up with the chute 37. Therotatable movement of the transfer member is produced by the cam 69operating a cam follower arm 69a having a follower roller 69C. The camshaft 66 rotates from the position of FIG. 13, with the transfer memberlined up with the chute 37' to a position in which the transfer memberis inverted by the follower roller 69C' being on the low of the cam 69as shown in FIG. 16 which illustrates the position of the parts when thetransfer member is down on a package. Subsequent to inverting of thetransfer member, the cam 67 presents its low to a follower 85a on thefollower'arm 85' which through a link 88' permits downward movement ofthe transfer member under the urging of a spring 186 as the followerroller 85a moves into the low of the cam 67. Inasmuch as this movementis yieldably caused by the spring 86 various heights of package may behandled.

In order to hold a label on the platen 201, a series of air openings 205are formed therein opening to the interior of the platen with theinterior connected to an air line 206 disposed within the hollow shaft42. The air line 206 runs to an air check valve and from there line 206aextends to a connection 207 to a bellows-like member 208 supported fromthe frame of the machine by a mounting plate 209. This bellows may be ofany suitable type with one example being a shock-absorber for vehiclessold under the name Airmount. The air line 206 includes a section offlexible tubing -210 to permit a twist in the tube as the transfermember rotates with the shaft 42. The bellows is operated between limitpositions shown in full line and broken line in FIG. 13 with the fullline position being the location at the beginning of a suction strokeand the broken line being at the end of the suction stroke and thebeginning of the air discharge stroke. Operation of the bellows iseffected by a stem 215 connected to a cam follower arm 216 having afollower roller 217 engageable with a cam 218 on the cam shaft 66'. Thecam 218 has a substantial arc forming a high. A low extends betweenpoints 218a and 218b with a slight rise 218C intermediate the ends ofthe low.

A cycle of movement may now readily be understood. The parts initiallypositioned to receive a label are shown in FIG. 13 with a cycleresulting from counterclockwise movement of the cam shaft 66 as viewedin FIG. 13. At the beginning of a cycle, the transfer member 200 islined up with the chute 37 and the bellows is stationary. As the camshaft 66' rotates, the first action occurs as point 218:1 of the cam 218arrives adjacent the cam follower roller 217 to permit downward movementof the link 215 as induced by a spring 220 connected to the follower arm216 which creates a suction at the openings 205 of the platen to hold alabel on the platen. Substantially simultaneously a low beginning atpoint 221 on the cam 69 permits inward movement of the cam followerroller 69e which starts the inverting movement of the transfer member.Still further in the rotation of the cam shaft 66 a low beginning at apoint 221 on the cam 67 permits the spring 86 to lower the transfermember onto a package. The full extent of the movements are showndiagrammatically in FIG. 16 and it will be seen that when the transfermember has reached a fully down position, or at least at this time pointin the cycle if a higher package has limited the downward movement ofthe transfer member, the slight rise 218C of the cam 218 has ended thesuction action of the bellows 208 and actually raised the link 215slightly to discharge air through the openings 205 of the platen todecisively release the label from the platen and secure it on thepackage. Following the position shown in FIG. 16, the parts return toinitial position with an intermediate step in this being shown in FIG.17, diagrammatically.

Utilization of the pin 89 described in the structure of the firstembodiment to hold the transfer member 40 in a slightly elevatedposition can result in operation in which the transfer member 40 doesnot engage the package. With the pin 89 in its advanced position, thetransfer lmember 40 is stopped and, at the proper time in the cycle, thesuction is released and the following air blast directs the label onto apackage. This results in no application of heat to the package, which isdesirable with respect to certain types of packaged products.

In this embodiment, a movable label guide associated with the transfermember is provided to guide a label delivered from the chute 37accurately onto the platen 201. This guide, as shown particularly inFIGS. 14, 15 and 18, embodies a U-shaped member 2,30 having a pair ofspaced-apart legs 231 and 232 lying adjacent the opposed sides of theplaten 201. This guide is pivoted at 233 for movement between anoperative position, shown in full line in FIG. 15, to an extreme pivotposition, shown in broken line in FIG. 15. An intermediate position isshown in dot-dashline in FIG. l5, and is one in which the guide pausesin its return movement to permit the transfer member 200 to swing backinto position of alignment with the chute 37 as provided in thedifferent height of cams 69 and 218 and specifically between the points218d and 69d of these cams, as identified in FIG. 17. The movements ofthe label guide are obtained from the cam follower 216 which connects bya link 235 to a bell crank pivoted on shaft 156 and having a first arm236 connected to the link and a second arm 237 connected by a rod 238.to the label guide by a pin as indicated at 239.

A label on the platen 201 has been heated to activate the adhesive onit. Because of this, the label has a tendency to curl and thisfrequently can prevent secure holding of the label to the platen 201 bythe suction applied through the openings 205 of the platen.

In order to render the suction effective, air blow down means areassociated with the label guide 230, to press the label down firmly onthe platen. This structure includes a horizontally disposed bellows 2,50mounted on a downturned section of the mounting plate 209 and having anoutlet hose 251 connected to an air check valve 252. The air check valveconnects to a hose 253 extending upwardly to the top of the cabinet andthen extending forwardly for connection to the label guide member 230 at254. The connection 254 communicates with a generally U-shaped internalpassage having legs 255 and 256 in the guide legs 231 and 232,respectively. As shown in FIG. 18, the 'leg 255 of the passage haslateral passages 257 which communicate with a row of apertures 258 fordirecting air downwardly against a label resting on the platen 201. T'heleg 256 has similar lateral passages 2,59 connecting with aperturessimilar to apertures 258 to direct air against the label. With thisstructure, a series of air jets are directed at a downwardly inclinedangle onto the label from each side of it.

The actuation of the air blow down bellows 250l is 1 1 derived from acam 260 mounted on the shaft 66 (FIG. 13) which coacts with a pivotallymounted cam follower lever 261 carrying a cam follower roller 262. Thelever 261 is urged in a clockwise direction, as viewed in FIG. `13, by aspring 263 connected between the cabinet frame and an upper end of thearm. The spring 263 urges the lever 261 out of engagement with thebellows 250.

The cam 260 has a relatively short llow 264 and when the follower roller262 is in the low, as caused by the urging of the spring 263, thefollower lever is away from the air blow down bellows 2,50. As the shaft66 rotates, and the follower roller 262 moves out of the low 264 ontothe high of the cam, the follower lever 261 is pivoted in acounterclockwise direction to compress -the bellows 250 in the positionshown in FIG. 13. The initial movement of the follower roller 262 ontothe high of the cam 260 creates the air pressure for directing air outof the apertures in the guide member 230.

The cam 260 is mounted on the shaft 66 in relation to the cam 21-8 foroperating the suction bellows 208 and the pivoting of the guide member230, whereby pressure air is delivered to the guide member at the sametime as the suction is applied and the guide member 230 starts to pivot.

With the structure as described herein, a label is delivered down thechute 37 onto the platen 201. As the mechanism operates, air is directedthrough the apertures onto the label and at the same time suction isapplied through the apertures 205y to hold the label in place on theplaten and the guide member 230 starts its pivoting movement to free theplaten 201 for its cycle of movement to apply a label to a package.

The embodiment of FIGS; 19-21 includes an automatic means to preventcontact of the heated platen 201 with a package in the event that alabel should not have been delivered or properly located on the platen.It is important that the heated platen does not contact a packagewithout a label if the package is wrapped in a film which melts onContact with the hot platen. In a prior embodiment disclosed herein, aselectively positionable stop pin 89 is shown to be manuallypositionable across the path of movement of the mounting shaft 42. Inthe embodiment shown in FIGS. 19-21, the stop means is automatic andoperates in response to the absence of a label properly located on theheated platen to prevent contact of the platen with a package.

More particularly, it is shown above that suction applied to openings205 on the surface of platen 201 is used to hold a located label on theplaten While in motion. The suction is caused by bellows 208 operatingthrough hoses 206:1, air check valve 252, and hose 206, the latter ofwhich leads through mounting shaft 42 to the air openings on the platen.In order to make the stop means automatic and in response to thepresence or absence of a label on the platen, the hose 206 which leadsto the platen openings is connected through air check valve 252 to asuction hose 270 which leads to a piston and cylinder device, generallydesignated 272 (FIG. 19). The piston, as best seen in FIGS. 20 and 21,operates a stop arm 274 as a function of the presence or absence of alabel properly located on the heated platen 201. The piston moves in acylinder 276 which is connected by an extension arm- 280 to the stop arm274.

Referring to FIG. 20, when a label is properly located on the platen201, the suction openings 205 will be closed by the label and therebycreate a vacuum in the suction line formed by hose 206. The'suction inhose 206 is communicated to cylinder 276 through air check valve 252 andhose 270 which is connected to the cylinder. Suction in cylinder 276causes piston 278 to move to the left (as seen in FIG. 20) and pivotsthe stop arm 274 in the direction of arrow A out of the path of movementof shaft 42 of the transfer member 200 and permits the shaft to descendin the direction of arrow B (from a position shown in phantom in FIG.20). A pin 281 limits the movement of arm 274 in the direction of arrowA.

. In the event thatthe machine is cycled without a label properlylocated on platen 201 covering the suction openings 205 of the platen,the openings are in communication with the atmosphere and air is allowedto enter hose 206. The air leads through air check valve 252 to suctionhose 270 which leads to the cylinder 276. Since no vacuum is created incylinder 276 to pull the piston to the left, the stop arm 274, throughgravity, moves to the right in the direction of arrow C (FIG. 21) andblocks the path of movement of shaft 42 of the transfer member 200. Asstated above, the shaft is yieldably operated by cam 67 which providesthe cycle for the transfer member, and if the shaft 42 of the transfermember is blocked by the stop arm, the cam will merely pull away fromthe shaft and continue its cycle. Stop arm 274 is urged by gravity inthe direction of arrow C at all times, even when it iS in abutment withlimit pin 281. This is true because the specific gravity of arm 274 isto the right of its pivot 274a in both of its extreme positions.

The piston and cylinder device 272 is provided with a bleeder passage282 in the cylinder 276 which leads through an annular passage 284 andaxial passage 286 in piston 278 and into communication with suction hose270. This bleeder passage is provided to insure that air will refillbellows 208 so that the bellows can continue its cycle as describedabove. As the piston moves in the direction of arrow A to pull the stoparm 274 out of the path of movement of the shaft 42, the annular passage284 in the piston will establish communication between suction hose 270and bleeder passage 282 leading to the atmosphere. Air will then bedrawn in through the bleeder passage into the bellows so that thebellows can again fill with air and make its full movement as cam 67makes its cycle. It is important that the bleeder passage be provided sothat the return action of the bellows will blow the label off of theplaten onto a package. In addition, although some air will be forced outof the openings 205 in the platen 201, the openings are sufficientlysmall to permit the contraction of the bellows to cause sufficientpressure behind piston 278 which in turn aids the stop arm 274 to returnback in the direction of arrow C to its blocking position.

It should be noted that once shaft 42 of the transfer member has movedin the direction of arrow B beyond notch 274a of the stop arm 274, thereturn action of the stop arm in the direction of arrow C does notinterfere with the return action of shaft 42 because the shaft willmerely slide up the side surface 288 of the stop arm 274 until it againlodges within notch 274a.

It can be seen that since the stop arm 274 moves as a function of thepresence or absence of a label on the platen 201, the stop meansautomatically operates without the addition of a single timingmechanism. The only timing necessary is the expansion or contraction ofthe bellows caused by a single cam and lever movement in the cycle ofthe machine which controls the application of suction or pressure at theopenings 205 in the platen 201.

The foregoing detailed description has been given for clearness ofunderstanding only and no unnecessary limitations should be understoodtherefrom as some modifications will be obvious to those skilled in theart.

We claim:

1. A package labelling system comprising means for delivering a printedlabel, in combination, a transfer member for receiving said deliveredlabel at a rst position and movable to a second position for placing thelabel on a package, said transfer member comprising a platen, guidemeans adjacent the platen for locating a label relative to the platen,means associated with the platen for releasably holding a located labelon the platen, comprising an air opening in said platen, means forholding the label on the platen by suction, air apertures in said guidemeans for directing air against a label on said platen, means forblowing air out of said apertures at the same 13 time as suction isapplied to said platen to have the label lie ilush on the platen andrender the suction effective to hold the label on the platen, and meansfor blocking movement of said transfer member to stop the platen at ashort distance from a package, and means for directing a blast of airagainst a label held on the platen while in said blocked position tomove a label from the platen to a package.

2. A package labelling system comprising means for delivering a printedlabel, in combination, a transfer member for receiving said deliveredlabel at a first position and movable to a second position for placingthe label on a package, said transfer member comprising an arm mountinga heated platen, means for yieldably moving the arm toward a package,means adjacent the platen for locating a label relative to the platen,means associated with the platen for releasably holding a located labelon the platen comprising an air opening in said platen, means connectedto said air opening for holding the label by suction and forsubsequently discontinuing the suction to aid in removing the label fromthe platen, and means selectively positionable in the path of said armto prevent contact of the platen with a package and thereby position theplaten whereby the label drops from the platen to the package.

3. In a package labelling system which comprises means for delivering aprinted label, a transfer member comprising a platen for receiving saiddelivered label at a rst position and movable to a second position forplacing the label on a package, means for yieldably moving the platentoward a package, means for locating a label relative to the platen, anair opening in said platen for releasably holding a located label on theplaten, means connected to said air opening for applying suction to theopening to hold the label on said platen, and means selectivelypositionable in the path of said transfer member to prevent contact ofthe platen with a package.

4. A package labelling system as set forth in claim 3 wherein said meansfor applying suction comprises a bellows-like member operative in acycle to expand and apply said suction and to contract to direct airunder pressure against the label to direct the label against a packageafter the label is released from the platen, said means selectivelypositionable in the path of said transfer member comprises a stop armnormally positioned inthe path of movement of said transfer member, apiston and cylinder device for operating said stop arm, said piston andcylinder device being controlled by said means for applying suction tosaid air opening such that the piston and cylinder device moves saidstop arm out of the path of movement of said transfer member when vacuumis created at said air opening by a located label blocking said opening,and bleeder passage means in said piston and cylinder device operableafter the piston and cylinder device has moved said arm out of the pathof movement of the transfer member to establish communication betweenatmosphere and the bellows-like member to permit recycling of thebellows-like member.

5. A package labelling system as set forth in claim 4 wherein said stoparm normally is urged by gravity in one direction into the path ofmovement of said transfer member, said piston being moved in saidcylinder in an opposite direction in response to vacuum created at saidair opening to move the stop arm out of the path of movement of saidtransfer member.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,315,737 9/1919 Milmoe 156-5713,093,528 6/1963 Reich 156-285 3,194,710 7/1965 Stremke et al. 156-566XR 3,264,161 8/1966 Stremke 156-360 3,372,079 3/1968 Fellner et al156-360 JOHN T. GOOLKASIAN, Primary Examiner D. J. FRITSCH, AssistantExaminer U.,S. Cl. X.R.

